Chukars salvage series split after losing back-to-back in Grand Junction

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. — The Chukars arrived in Grand Junction, Colo., on Monday with high hopes. Facing a Jackalopes squad that started the second half with just one win in six games, Idaho Falls no doubt expected a series win to maintain high hopes in the playoff race.

Instead, they had to scratch and claw to hold on to a win Sunday just to earn a split in their six-game trip to western Colorado, after losing Friday and Saturday nights’ games by a combined seven runs.

The way starter Shane Spencer dispatched the Jackalopes (27-33, 4-8) early, it seemed like the Chukars (34-25, 7-5) were going to cruise to a win.

But several late rallies, led by Spence Coffman and a monster pinch-hit homer from Evan Scavotto, Grand Junction battled all the way back to end the game with the tying run on base. Using every tool in the shed to get to the finish line, manager Troy Percival went to ace Gary Grosjean (S, 2) for the ninth inning of an 11-10 win.

Spencer (W, 3-1) had allowed just four hits and one run through 5 innings of work, and went to the mound in the bottom of the sixth with his team clinging to a 3-1 lead.

The right-hander had to battle through the sixth and seventh inning, though, and finished his afternoon having surrendered nine hits and seven runs in his 7 innings of work.

Grand Junction’s late-inning offensive onslaught began with three runs in the sixth, with a pair of homers including Coffman’s first of the game.

Two more Jackalope homers in the seventh, including a second from Coffman, gave Grand Junction three more.

Scavotto, brought in to hit with a pair of runners on in the eighth, went deep off of Julien Hernandez. giving the Jackalopes five big flies on the day and making it an 11-10 game.

Steven Ordorica came on in relief of Hernandez and escaped the inning without any further harm.

For the second time this season, Tuesday starter Grosjean was asked to close out a win for the Chuks. And for the second time this season, he did so, allowing one walk in a scoreless ninth.

The Chukars gave Spencer a slim early advantage on solo homers from Tyler Wyatt (12) and Jacob Shanks (7), along with an RBI single from Eddie Pelc.

Idaho Falls continued to battle back every time the Jackalopes scored, on homers from Jacob Jablonski (10), Johnny Pappas (9) and Garret Ostrander (7).

Pelc and Wyatt had three RBIs apiece to lead the team, while Wyatt also scored a game-high three runs.

The Chukars will return to Idaho Falls, where they will open a three-game set with the Glacier Range Riders on Tuesday.

PBL second-half standings
T1. Missoula PaddleHeads (8-4)
T1. Oakland Ballers (8-4)
T1. Rocky Mountain Vibes (8-4)
T4. Idaho Falls Chukars (7-5)
T4. Yuba-Sutter High Wheelers (7-5)
T6. Billings Mustangs (6-6)
T6. Colorado Springs Sky Sox (6-6)
T8. Boise Hawks (5-7)
T8. Ogden Raptors (5-7)
T10. Glacier Range Riders (4-8)
T10. Grand Junction Jackalopes (4-8)
T10. Great Falls Voyagers (4-8)